A PARTY ON THE EDGE: ADC’S CRISIS AND THE GATHERING STORM BEFORE 2027
By Tijjani Sarki
In the fragile theatre of Nigeria’s democracy, where opposition parties are expected to serve as the conscience of governance, the unfolding turmoil within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is not just troubling, it is deeply unsettling. What should have been a rallying point for democratic strength is fast turning into a portrait of internal fractures, legal uncertainty, and creeping political pressure threatening to choke the life out of a struggling opposition platform.
At the centre of this storm is the lingering legal dispute involving Nafi’u Bala. The ruling of the Supreme Court of Nigeria may appear to offer relief, but the reality is far from reassuring. By returning the substantive matter to the Federal High Court, the apex court has effectively prolonged a dangerous uncertainty. This is not closure, it is a ticking clock. In Nigeria’s political terrain, unresolved litigation often becomes the quiet assassin of ambition, striking when it matters most.
As if the uncertainty were not enough, the nullification of the party’s congresses and national convention by a Federal High Court in Abuja has further shaken its foundation. A political party without a valid convention stands on shaky ground, its leadership questioned, its legitimacy contested. The implications are severe, confusion in structure, paralysis in decision-making, and a growing loss of confidence among supporters who crave stability, not endless courtroom drama.
The crisis intensifies in Kano, where factional divisions have exploded into multiple legal battles. One faction heads to a State High Court, another seeks restraining orders at a Federal High Court to halt party activities entirely. This is no longer mere disagreement, it is a collapse of internal cohesion. A party fighting itself in courts risks losing not just unity, but its very identity in the eyes of the electorate.
Hovering over all of this are persistent allegations that the ruling All Progressives Congress, under Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may be exploiting the vulnerabilities of opposition parties. Whether proven or not, such claims deepen public suspicion and reinforce a troubling narrative, that the playing field of Nigerian politics is neither level nor fair. When opposition parties are weakened, democracy itself is diminished.
What we are witnessing is not just the struggle of a political party, it is a test of Nigeria’s democratic resilience. The ADC stands at a crossroads, burdened by internal discord and legal landmines that could detonate at any moment. Without swift reconciliation, disciplined leadership, and strategic clarity, its hopes for 2027 may dissolve before they even take shape.
And if a democracy cannot sustain a viable opposition, if parties are left to self-destruct while institutions watch or falter, then one must ask, with growing unease, what kind of democracy is Nigeria becoming, and how long can it endure this slow, silent strain before the very idea of credible political competition begins to fade?
Tijjani Sarki Good Governance Advocate and Public policy analyst
2nd May, 2026
